Flier for "Skate Fever’s 1st Annual Speed Skating Contest": Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A flier for "Skate Fever’s 1st Annual Speed Skating Contest." The flier is in portrait orientation and is printed on yellow paper. It is covered top to bottom in printed black text and graphics. Printed at the top center is a large graphic of a roller skate in motion, flanked diagonally on either side with two smaller graphics of roller skates also in motion. Text printed in varying sizes and fonts in two boxes above the central graphic read [SKATE FEVER / 45 GOBLE PL. 1block off Mt Eden & Jerome Ave / present its]. Below, and framing the graphic, is an arched banner that reads [1st ANNUAL SPEED SKATING CONTEST]. The text directly below the graphic reads [$1,000 CASH / TROPHIES TO BE GIVEN AWAY!]. The bottom half of the flier has three boxes with contest information printed inside. The box on the left reads [ONLY UP TO 16 PERSONS WILL / BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE / SO SIGN UP NOW / EACH / SUNDAY]. The box at the center reads [1st Place $500 / 2nd [ditto mark for Place] 250 / 3rd [ditto mark for Place] 125 / 4th [ditto mark for Place] 75 / 5thPl: Fifty Dlrs]. The box on the far right reads [Two Winners picked each week, / After the 8th week 16 Finalists / will compete for the Grand Prize!]. Centered below is additional black and yellow text [WILL BE COMPETING AGAINST THE CLOCK! / STARTIN’ / SUN, OCT 30TH / The Fastest Time Wins! / CONTEST STARTS AT 10:30P.M. EVERY SUNDAY / $60 will be awarded each week. Along with 1st and 2nd Place Trophies!].

At the bottom of the flier are three additional boxes with printed admission fee and production information that reads [Adm / $4 / Each Sunday] and [ANOTHER DIP [graphic of a bulb] LITE PROD.] and [Adm / $4 / Each Sunday]. Vertically along the bottom left edge is printed and photocopied handwritten text that reads [NO ENTRY FEE -> Info: 583-3185*]. Vertically along the bottom right edge is printed and photocopied handwritten text that reads [Info: 583-3185[?]* NO ENTRY FEE]. Geometric shapes, graphics, and banners frame and encapsulate the flier’s text. Two checkered pyramid graphics frame either side of the contest title banner. The back of the flier has no text or inscriptions.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: October 30, 1983
• Designed by: Buddy Esquire, American, 1959 - 2014
• Distributed by: Dip Lite Productions, American
• Subject of: Skate Fever, American, founded 1983
• Printed by: Unidentified
• Type: fliers (printed matter)
• Medium: ink on paper (fiber product)
• Dimensions: H x W: 10 7/8 × 8 7/16 in. (27.6 × 21.4 cm)
• Place used: Bronx, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Amusements
• Topic: Design
• Topic: Graphic design
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Topic: Nightlife
• Topic: Roller skating
• Topic: Sports
• Object number: 2020.38.1.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: Public domain Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.